Bolt Cutters are used to cut the hooks from a lure or
a Muskie's jaw when the fish is badly hooked to ease hook removal.
The large hooks have large barbs and can get twisted inside the
fish's mouth becoming almost impossible to remove. The barb
can be cut off to pull the hook out or the eye of the hook can be
cut to quickly get the bait out of harms way. This method
greatly increases the speed of releasing a Muskie and increases
the chance of survival. THESE NEED TO BE IN A MUSKIE FISHERMAN'S
BOAT!

Camera
is a must for when you finally do land that giant fish of a lifetime.
Nothing preserves the memory better than a picture of your fish.
If your choice is digital, then the pictures can be sent to all
of your buddies.

First
Aid Kit is a must when fishing for fish that have sharp teeth
and when using lures that have sharp 5/0 or larger hooks.
Sooner or later it will be needed.

Gloves
are optional but do add a level of confidence when removing hooks
or handling a Muskie. Do not use a mesh type that may allow
a hook to pass through the material and into your hand with an angry
Muskie still attached to the other end of the lure. A kevlar
or buckskin glove works great.

Replacement
Hooks need to be in your boat for replacement of cut hooks after
you release your trophy or wear a point down beyond sharpening.
Muskies require the use of a heavy duty hook and the low cost of
a hook makes cutting and replacing it with a new one well worth
the time saved in unhooking a Muskie.

Line
should be upgraded to heavy monofilament or a braided line. Some
anglers use upwards of 80 or 100 pound braided lines to fish Muskies.
The line strength can become an asset when you have snagged up a
$40.00 lure on bottom or prevent you from breaking off that same
bait if you backlash your reel during a cast.

Lures
for Muskies are larger than those used for bass. In general,
the earlier in the year, the smaller the bait. Most anglers
have a variety of different baits to fish at different levels in
the water. Trolling and casting can both work very well for
Muskies, so many different types of lures can be effective at different
times. For example, a large spinnerbait or shallow diver could
be chosen to fish a grass line in 5 feet of water, while moving
off of the grass line, into deeper water, the same lures may be
chosen, but a deep diver may work better depending on the level
of the fish. It is best to throw a variety of different presentations.

Nets
are one of the most valuable tools and should be chosen wisely.
Nets that are actually designed for Muskies have large diameter
heavy duty mesh that are capable of holding Muskies alive in the
water for hook removal so the fish doesn't have to crash around
in the bottom of your boat. Smaller diameter mesh can slice
scales and fins and damage the eyes. The larger mesh makes
it easier to unwind your lures and the net size makes it possible
to "CAGE" a large fish revived at boat side allowing
you to get your camera ready to quickly pull the fish out for a
picture and then release it. Frabill and Beckman both make
amazing nets for Muskies.

Long
Handled Pliers are an obvious addition to your necessary items
for Muskie fishing. A long handle needle nose type is recommended
with either a straight of offset nose suited to preference.

Rod
and Reels for Muskies are heavier than what you would use for
bass but similar. They need to be good quality to handle the
pressures of large game fish. Rods that are capable of casting
up to 5 oz lures or more are used and the reel should be capable
of holding enough line to cast or troll with.

Split
Rings can be cut to remove hooks with bolt cutters if need be.
A strong battle with a Muskie can also lead to separation of a split
ring and they should be inspected on a regular basis, especially
after boating a fish.

Wire
Leaders are one of the most important pieces of hardware between
you and a Muskie. Heavy duty snaps with ratings of over 100
pounds are used to make a Muskie leader. They are much heavier
than the ones that are used for Pickeral fishing.